Sewing machine



Sept. 9, 1924. Y 1,507,597

- C. H. GREENWOOD SEWING MACHINE Filed Feb. 15. 1923 chine, and

Patented Sept. 9,1924. j

. Q UNITED STATES CHARLES E, GREENWOOD, OF CANTON, OHIO.

SEWING Application led' February To all whom -z't may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. GREEN- wooD, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Canton, in the county of lStark and State 'of Ohio,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sewing Machines, ofwhich the following isa specification. A

This invention relates to improvements in sewing machines and moreparticularly to the family or factory type of sewing mais an improvementupon my ormerPatent No. '1,145,678 upon sewing machine, patented July 6,1915.

The objects of the improvement are to provide a sewing machine headarranged to entirely enclose the tension, take-up and thread guides, aswell a the upper portions of the needle bar and esser bar, and anelectric lamp forv .illuminating the work,

. whereby all of these parts will be protected from accident and fromdisarrangement by children or others who may tamper with the machine inan attempt to readjust-the parts` the head being normally ,closed by ahinged door provided with a lock, thus allowing access to the interiorof the head to an authorized person` only.

Another object is to locate the tension, take-up and thread guides insuch position that the thread may be drawn by a single movement of thehand directly into the tension, take-up mechanism and thread guides, thetake-up mechanism being so constructed that it will automatically threaditself regardless of the position of the same when the thread is drawnthrough the head of the machine. Other objects of the invention are toAprovide a tension release automatically operated by the raising of thepresser bar; to provide an electric light in the under side of the headin position to direct the/light upon the work while the eyes of theoperator are shafded from the light, the lamp being thus protected frombreaking, and to generally improve and 'simplify the construction ofsew- .ing machines. e l

The above and ancillary objects may be attained b constructing themachine in the manner ilustrated in the accompanying drawings, in'which-Figure 1 is a front elevation of the head of a sewing machine embodyingthe invention, therhinged door being shown opened encreurr iol-FlcMACHINE.

15, 1923. Serial No. 619,198. l 1

and the parts broken away to illustrate the interior of the head;

Fig. 2, a transverse, through the head;

Fig. .3, a horizontal section through the tension mechanism; i

Fig. 4, a top release; v

Fig. 5, a fragmentary elev'ation'of a; portion of the head, showing themeans for regulating the tension; v

Fig. 6, a perspective view of the take-up Fig. 7, a section on the line7 7, Fig. 1';

Fig. 8a detail perspective view of one of the thread guides.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe drawings.

\ is well known, the usual family or factory sewing machine comprises abase plate with an arm rising therefrom and terminating in a rectangularhead which carries the needle bar, presser foot, thread guides, tensionand take-up mechanism, the com li- -mentary stitch forming and feedingmec anism being usually located within or below the base plate.

Since the present improvement relates only to the mechanism carriedbythe head, ronly the head of the machine has been illustrated.Referring to the drawings, the

. vertical section head 1 is rectangular in form and is preferablyformed integral with the usual arm 2, which encloses the main shaft?) ofthe machine.

`The needle ber bushing e ie peeviaed Vin plan vView of the tension eovthe lower wall of the headand the needle Y.

bar 5 is mounted for vertical reciprocation through said bushing, thelower end thereof carrylng the usual needle clamp 6 holding the' needleThe upper end of the needle bar 5 is pivotally connected as at 8 to thelink 9, provided at its other end with `the wrist pin 10 pivotallyconnected to the cam disk 11,

which is mounted uponthe main shaft 3 of "the machine.

Thepresser bar 12 carries the usual presser foot 13 at its lower end',and is mounted for vertical reci rocation through the lower end of thehea as at 14, the upper end of the presser bar being mounted forslidable movement within the bushing 15, which is provided .withexternalthreads by means upon th of which the same ma)7 be adjustedvertically to adjust the tenslon upon the presser foot within the lug 16formed in the upper portion `of the head. l

The lower end of the bushing 15 may be provided with aknurled head 17 tofacilitate turning of the bushing, and a coil spring 18 is locatedaround the presser bar between the bushing and the collar 19. A flange20 eX- tends outward from the collar` 19 intothe vertical slot 21 formedin the side of the head and the usual cam lever 22 is pivoted as/at 23within the head and extends through the slot 21, engaging the flange 20to raise vand lower the presser foot.

The take-'up lever 24 is provided with the bearing ortion 25 mounted foroscillation jzournal 2K6A which is carried by the bracket 2 fixed to oneside'of the head.

A rocker arm 28 is fixed upon the bearing.

portion 25 and provided with a pin 29 and roller 29 extended into thecam slot 30 of the disk 11. l

The free end of the take-up lever is provided with a substantially tringular, outturned portion 31, the ingzr 32 being spaced from one sidethereof, forming a slot 33 between these two parts. It should be notedthat the finger 32 extends outward beyond the end of the triangularportion 31'.

The tension device, which may be the usual pair of disks 34 and 35, ispreferably mounted upon the screw threaded pin 36, se

cured in the head as best shown in Fig. 3, between one outer wall of thehead and the plate 16, which is connected to the lug 16 whichcarries thepresser bar bushing 15.

A spring Jwasher 36 is interposed-between the end of the hold the pin ina justed position.

.The disk may be kyieldi'ngly pressed against the disk 34 in th`e`\usualmanner, by a helical spring 37 surrounding the pin 36 and its tensionregulated by the slotted nut 38, a fixed stud 39 being carried in theside wall of thehead and extending through the slot- 40 of the nut.. Theouter end of the pin 36 is notched as at41 to receive a special key forrotatlng the pin when it is desired to ad]ust the tension.

Y The tension release comprises the bent lever 42 pivoted as at '43 upona bracket arm 44 formed upon the plate 16".Y One 'eX- termity of thelever42 1s provided with the curved.l tapered end 45 extended. vbetween"the disks 34 and 35 and the other end thereof is located inthe path ofthe presser bar 12 and arranged to be operated when the presser bar 1sraised'to its highest point,

projecting the pointed exteremity 45 of the with the vertical slot 46 inalignment with located in the same vertical plane as the hinge portion54 which cooperates with the hinge portion 55 of the plate 16.

The plate 51 is provided with the arcuate edge 56 around which theextremity of the finger 32 travels as the take-up lever is operated,thus preventing the thread from slip? upon the inner face ping out ofthe slot 33 in the take-up lever and over the finger 32 thereof.

A suitablel lock as shown at v57,I is carried bythe hinged door andarranged'to engage a groove 58 in the adjusted side wall of the head,aspecial key preferably thev same as used for adjusting .the tension,being provided for operating this lock in order that the head may benormally closed, enclosing the parts therein and protecting the samefrom inju'ry and also preventing children or inexperienced operatorsfrom having access to the working parts of the head and tampering withthe sanie.

For the purpose of providing a suitable light for the operator of themachine, an

" electric lamp 59 is mounted within the lower end of the head in aposition to direct the rays of light downward u on the work as it passesbeneath the nee le, While ,at the same time, protecting the eyes of theop- I erator from the light, and being enclosed, is itself protectedfrom injury. The wires 60 connected to the lamp may be extendedthrough'the head Aand the .arm 2 and connec-ted toany suitable source ofelectric energy. f

' In operation, the thread is led from the spool, which may be locatedas usual, upon thel top of the 'sewing machine arm to lthe slot 46 inthe upper end of the head and is then drawn directly downward into theslot 50 of the hinged cover and backward within the slot 4 7 in thelower'end. of the head, drawing the, threadA, as shown" in Fig. 2,

llO

into the tension device and Vinto the thread guides 48 and 53, locating.the thread in position to be enga d by the slot 33 of thev take-uplever, as t e same is movedv into the position shown vin Fig. 1, theinclined edge of the trian l gulding the threa .into the slot 33, whilethe elongated linger 32 engaging the arcuate edge of the plate 51,'prevents thethread ar vportion 31 thereof,

' dentally unthreaded in starting the machine 15,

adapted for either the round bobbin or theA long shuttle construction.For a great many reasons, the round bobbin is considered superior to thelong shuttle, as it runs smoother, faster and more quietly than-the longshuttle. However, there are two disadvantages to the round bobbin, theneedle is frequently acciagain afterv work has been removed, therefrom.This is caused by the'operator cutting the thread too short and as theneedle starts to descend the end .of the thread is pulled from the'eyeof the needle.'

The improved take-up forming a partv of this invention, overcomes thesetwo diliculties 'as by ,giving oi and taking up thread just as it isneeded, the needle isnot accidentally unthreadedsand the thread is notgiven out fast enough to allowfit to become oose and twisted to clog theshuttle race.

It is natural and customary for the operator in taking work out of themachine to watch the needle and to remove the work when the needle is atitsI highest point. With the present construction, the operator mayremove the work inthis manner without any danger of unthre'ading theneedle when the machine is started again.

The cam is so shaped that the take-up lever does not start to pull thethread up until the needle jeve is out of the cloth, but it acts soquickly that the' take-up is at its highest the point where it entersthe tension deviceH point when the needle reaches thehighe'st point@ YOwing to the fact that in my improved machine, th'etension isY locatedcloser to the` stitch than in the usual machine, the thread passes insubstantially a straight line from the tension to the eye of the needleand is 'rictionally engaged onlyv by the take-up lever, between thesepoints, it has been found by experience that a much wider range 'of workis os'sble with a given adjustment of the tension than can be obtainedwith thel usual construction of sewing machine. Itis furtherpointed outthat owing to this reduc-V tion of friction upon the thread, very heavymaterial may be sewed with a comparatively thread, as it passes throughthe head isl rotected from oilxwhich may besplashed m the cam disk 11 orthe parts associated there,- with. The upperv partition wall extendsover the disk and protects the threadbetween the point where itentersthe head and while the' U-shaped portin 52, of the hinged cover protectsthe thread as it passes vertically through the head. .v Y

A well 66`is provided in the bottom of the head, beneath thefcam diskand link, tot receive any oil which may be splashed vfrom said parts,preventing the oil from passing do,wn along the needle bar or Vpresserfoot bar, and damaging the work. A piece of felt or the like, as shownat 67, may be placed in the well to absorb the oil and prevent the samefrom running out ofthe well when the heads tilted, this being anespecially desirable feature in the drop head machine.

A partition wall 68 extends up from the bottom of theI head, between thecam disk and link, on one side, and the thread where it passes downbeneath the U-s'haped plate of the cover, preventing oil from splashingupon the thread at this point and also obviat- 1n though the 'slotand onto the'work.

l. ln. a sewing machine, a head provided with a vertical slot throughone/,side thereo,

the possibility ofoil passing down a tension device and thread-'guideswithin i the head and alignedwith .the slotl and a take-up lever withinthe head provided with means for automatically engaging a thread drawnthroughthe slot. Si

2; In a sewing machine, a head provided with 'a vertical slot thr ughone side thereof,` a tension device 'and thread'guides within the headand alignedv with the slot, a reciprocating needle bar mounted in thehead, -.a take-up lever within the head and means for operating thetake-uprlever to cause it to `start its upward `movement as soon as the'eye of the needle is out ofthe `work and'to move the take-up lever toits highest position when the needle reaches its highest position.

3. In a sewing machine, a head provided with a vertical slot through oneside thereof, a tensiondevice and thread guides within the head andaligned with the slot', areciprocating needlebar mounted in the head, atake-up lever within the head, and a cam @for operating the take-.uplever to cause itfto start V*its upward movement ater the needle is outof the-work and to ,move it to its high est position as-the needlereaches its highest position. y f l 4. n a sewing machine, a headprovided with a slotthrou' h one side thereof through which the three.is arran d to be drawn and a take-np lever mountedewithin the head androvided with an inturned inclined slotted rtionv arranged toautomatically enga e me threadwhich is drawn through the s ot and meansfor moving the take-up lever across the path of the thread. A 5. nfasewing machine, a head fprovided with a slot throu h one side thereowhich the three isrran ed to be drawn, and a take-up lever moun withinthe head throughv means, an

and provided with a slotted portion arranged to automatically engage thethread which is drawn through the slot and means for movingthe take-uplever across the path of the thread.

v 6.' In a sewing machine, a head provided with a slot through one sidethereof through which the thread is arranged to be idrawn, and a take-uplever mounted within the head andprovidedwith an inturned portionarranged to automatically engage the thread which is drawn through theslot and means for moving the take-up lever across the path 'ofthethread.

7. Ina sewing machine, a head provided with a slot through one sidethereof-through which the thread is arranged -to be drawn, a tensiondevice within the head in line with the slot, and a take-up lever withinthe head rovided with thread engaging means for moving the take-up leverto cause the same to cross the path of the thread.

8. In a sewing machine, a head provided with a tension device locatedwithin the head and including a rotatable pin having a threaded portion,a pair of disks mounted upon the pin, a nut ounted u on the ,threadedportion of the ,means or holding the nut against rotation, and means @orJ rotating the pin.

9. In a sewing machine, a head providedv with a tensionwdevi'ce locatedWithin the head and including a rotatable pin` having a threadedportion, a pair of disks mounted upon the pin, a nut mounted upon thethreaded portion of theIk pin, means for holding the nut againstrotation, and means for .4d rotating the pin from the outside of thehead.

10. In a sewin machine, ahead pro vided with a.v tenslomdevicelocatedwithin the head and including a rotatable pin hav' ing a threadedportion, a pair of disks mounted upon the pin, a nut mounted u on thethreaded portion o the pin, the nut ing provided with a groove, astationary i @stud engaging the groove'in the nut and preventin rotationthereof, and means for engaging the groove in the nut and preventingrotation thereof, and means for rotating the pin from the outside of thehead.- l

12. In a sewing machine,- a head provided with a tension device locatedwithin the head and including a pin having a threaded portion, a pair ofdisks mounted upon the pin, a nut mounted upon thethreaded portion ofthe pin, aspring interposed between the nut and the ad]acent disk andmeans for aldjlsting the nut from the outside of the 13. In a sewingmachinea head provided with a tension device located within the.

head and including a tension member, a pin -provided with a threadedportion, a nut ber and means for adjusting the threaded pin from theoutside of the head.

15'. In a sewing machine, a head open at one side, a hinged kcover for said opening -provided with a slot through which the thread is arrangedto be drawn, a take-u lever mounted within the head and provide with aninturned, thread engaging finger, and an arcuate shoulder upon the innerface ofthe. door arranged to be engaged by said finger to prevent thethead from being displaced from' the take-up lever. A 16. In a sewingmachine, a head provided Vwith a slot in one side through which thethread is arranged to be drawn, a needle barmounted for reciprocation inthe head, a take-up lever mounted within the head, means within the headfor operating the needle bar and take-up klever, a partition 'havehereunto ubscribed myname.

CHARLES H. GREENWOOD.

10o. ywall within thehead between the operating

